Obeying the Simple Instructions…

Naaman only had to obey one instruction. Just one. 

Naaman was a highly successful man. He was the commander of the king’s army and highly respected by all. Everything was going well for him, except for one thing. He was a leper. 

Lepers were looked upon with fear and disdain. Nobody wanted to be associated with them. Their skin looked terrible. It didn’t matter what oils and herbal preparations they tried. Nothing worked. 

That was Naaman’s life outside the battlefield. Every time he looked at himself in the mirror he was reminded of his imperfection. 

Meanwhile, in his wife’s quarters was a little Israelite girl who had been captured by the Aramean army and brought to serve Naaman’s wife. She had noticed what Naaman was going through, and boldly said to her mistress,

“If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:3 NIV)

The prophet she referred to was Elisha. 

Naaman’s wife quickly passed on this information to her husband, and he immediately sought leave from the king of Aram to go to Israel in search of his healing. When he got to Israel, he went straight to the king and presented a letter from the Aramean king to him. 

The King of Israel was terrified and tore his robes when he read the letter, imagining that if Naaman didn’t get his healing in Israel, there would be war!! 

“Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” (2 Kings 5:7)

Thankfully, word got to Elisha about what had just happened, and he instructed the king to send Naaman to see him. Naaman quickly complied and headed to Elisha’s house. Once he got to the door of the house, Elisha sent this message to him. 

Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” (2 Kings 5:10 NIV)

A message. No contact. No powerful prayer. No earth-shaking miracle. Just a message. 

Naaman felt quite cheated. He had made a long journey only to be given a message! 

I would also have felt cheated, by the way. The prophet did not even acknowledge his presence, yet in Aram people would look at him in awe as he rode by! 

“This so-called man of God did not even come out to greet me. He did not call on the name of the Lord on my behalf. He did not wave his hand over me! What kind of prophet is this who tells that my cure lies in the waters of Israel? Who washes himself seven times, anyway? I am done!!”

Naaman walked off, seething with rage. 

His servants rushed after him, hoping to convince him otherwise. They had probably asked around and heard that when Elisha gave an instruction, it was best to obey it! 

“My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed!” (2 Kings 5:13 NIV)

Naaman stopped and thought for a moment. He then walked over to the Jordan, stepped into the water, and dipped his body inside it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…

The servants counted anxiously as they waited to see what would happen. 

7…

Naaman stood up in the water and looked down at his body. His flesh was smooth, clear, and supple, just like a young boy’s skin. He was healed. 

Naaman doubted the prophet’s instructions. He didn’t want to follow them because they didn’t make sense to him. In the end, he did, and the Lord healed him. 

Naaman is like many of us.

God speaks. Our response is, “Nah, I know a better way.”

God gives us instructions. Our reaction is “Not now, Lord. Let me finish my stuff first then I will get back to you.”

Then there is this classic excuse… ”What God is saying does not make sense.”

I have ignored God’s instructions many times. I always know when I am doing so, and later on, I regret it. This is an area of my Christian life that I struggle with. One thing that always encourages me when God gives me a weird instruction is that though it does not make sense to me, it makes perfect sense to Him. God knows all things and He controls everything. More importantly, He knows what lessons we need to learn from obeying Him! 

Where do we go from here? How do we make sure we obey God’s simple instructions? 

We listen. We pay attention to what God is saying to us, and we ask Him what He wants us to do. 

We listen again. We go to God’s Word to confirm what we have heard. We spend time in prayer, listening keenly to the Lord’s voice. 

Then we obey. We step out in faith and do what God tells us to do. 

Lastly, we leave everything in God’s hands, remembering that we are His vessels and that it’s our job to do what He asks us to do. 

Then the Lord is pleased with us, and we are at peace with Him and ourselves. 

What is God telling you to do today? May He give you the grace and strength to obey Him, even if the instruction does not make sense.